Antidiabetic Activity of Ethanolic Extract of Zaleya decandra in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a complex disorder that disturbs the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Medicinal plants play an important role in the management of diabetes mellitus. The present study was aimed to evaluate the antidiabetic potential of Zaleya decandra roots on alloxan-induced diabetes in rats. Oral administration of ethanolic extract of the root (200 mg/kg body weight/day) for 15 days restored the levels of glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, total proteins, urea, creatinine, lipid peroxidation level, and antioxidant enzymes significantly in diabetic rats. Histopathological studies showed significant changes like necrosis and degeneration in the liver and pancreas of alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Also these histopathological abnormalities were found to be normalized after treatment with Z. decandra extract. The efficacy of the root extract was found to be equivalent when compared to the standard hypoglycemic drug glibenclamide (1.25 mg/kg body weight/day, orally) in diabetic rats.

Chemical and Biological Aspects of Extracts from Medicinal Plants with Antidiabetic Effects

“…However, histopathological analyses revealed significant changes in alloxan-induced diabetic rats, including necrosis and degeneration in liver and pancreas. These histopathological abnormalities were found to be normalized after stopping treatment with the extract [60].…”

Hypolipidemic Activity ofEryngium carlinaeon Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

“…There are several reports about the beneficial effects of a wide range of plants to treat diabetes. Hypoglycemic effect was observed in extracts of plants such as Amaranthus viridis [4] and Psidium guajava [5] whose effects are almost comparable with the synthetic drug tolbutamide, while Zaleya decandra [6] has effects equivalent to glibenclamide. Other plants also appear to exert their beneficial effects by improving the dyslipidemia and oxidative stress that characterize diabetes.…”

Hypoglycaemic effect of Berberis vulgaris L. in normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

“…Approximately 80% of the world population is almost entirely dependent on traditional medicines [10] . The ethnobotanical details and the antidiabetic potential of several plants are known at present [11][12][13][14] , but there is very little information about plants which possess hypoglycemic properties. The hypoglycaemic activity could be due to the existence of saponins, polyphenols and alkaloids [4,15] .…”